Tornado Records (Blackford v2)
This article lists various tornado records. The most "extreme" tornado in recorded history was the 1962 Valdosta tornado in some estimates, with potential winds as high as 374 mph. Largest and most powerful tornadoes Highest winds observed in a tornado Represents strongest current known tornado ? - Wind speed estimate, no actual figure available. Exceptional coincidences Codell, Kansas The small town of Codell, Kansas, was hit by a tornado on the same date (May 20) three consecutive years: 1916, 1917, and 1918. The United States has about 100,000 thunderstorms per year; less than 1% produce a tornado. The odds of this coincidence occurring again are extremely small. Kokomo, Indiana The city of Kokomo, Indiana was hit with a strong or violent tornado once every year from 2016 to 2021, the first on August 24, 2016, when a EF3 struck the downtown area, inflicting heavy damage. Less than 3 hours later, southwestern Kokomo was struck by a EF1, which caused moderate damage. On May 21, 2017, Kokomo was struck by a long-tracked EF4 tornado which uprooted various trees and caused historic damage. A EF5 tornado touched down just east of Kokomo late on April 13, 2018, and a EF3 tornado caused significant damage in northern Kokomo that same night. Kokomo was also struck by a EF2 tornado on April 21, 2019, which damaged various houses. Kokomo was directly struck by a EF5 tornado during the early morning hours of April 4, 2020, which caused severe damage. The final tornado in the series struck on May 18, 2021, when a EF2 tornado tore off the roof of several houses and stores in northwestern Kokomo. The city limits of Kokomo has seen 26 tornadoes impact it since record keeping began in 1950, with particularly violent ones in 1961, 1965, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020. Of the 26 tornadoes, 10 were strong, 6 were violent and 9 were killers. Hartford City, Indiana The city of Hartford City, Indiana, located roughly 30 miles east of Kokomo, has been struck by multiple very deadly tornadoes in it's history. The first was a F4 tornado which caused 2 deaths in Hartford City in 1965. Between 1965 and 2019, only 3 tornadoes struck Hartford City, a F1 in 1998, a F3 in 2002, and a F1 in 2005. Hartford City was once again hit in 2009 by a very deadly tornado, which claimed 137 lives. This tornado was rated a EF4, and was for 9 years the deadliest tornado in Indiana state history. Hartford City was struck by a EF0 in 2013, which caused minimal damage. It was struck by another EF0 in 2017, which also caused minimal damage. It was then struck by a EF5 tornado on April 13, 2018, which claimed 53 lives in Hartford City, and as much as 250 in nearby Marion. This tornado is still one of the deadliest in history, and is easily the deadliest ever to strike the state of Indiana. The city limits of Hartford City (as well as nearby Shamrock Lakes) have both seen roughly 17 tornadoes in their city limits combined since records began in 1950, with 2 occurring in the Shamrock Lakes city limits (a F1 in 2001 and the EF4 in 2009), and 17 have occurred in the Hartford City city limits. Oakville, Indiana The small village of Oakville has been struck by 3 F5/EF5 tornadoes since 1884, it was struck by a F5 tornado on April 1, 1884, which devastated the village and only left 4 of the original 30 houses standing. It was then struck by another F5 tornado on April 1, 1984, exactly 100 years since the 1884 F5 tornado, a extremely unlikely coincidence, which destroyed 40 of the 50 houses in the village. It was then struck by a third F5/EF5 tornado (this time a EF5) on April 13, 2018, which destroyed 6 of the 15 buildings in the village. Several other F4/F5 or EF4/EF5 tornadoes have came within 10 miles of Oakville, a F4 on April 3, 1974, and a EF5 on June 14, 2017. Alexandria, Indiana The city of Alexandria has been hit or nearly been hit by many strong to violent tornadoes in it's history. The first documented tornado to hit Alexandria was a F2 in 1899, which paralleled the rail line running through the city. 3 people were killed by this tornado. The next tornado to come near the city was a massive F5 tornado in 1907, which killed 1 person in the city limits, and caused maximum damage suggesting F3 intensity in the Alexandria city limits, however it abruptly pulled northeast and hit nearby Summitville instead. The next tornado to hit Alexandria was in 1910, this time a F3, which took a similar track to the 1899 tornado, this tornado killed 4 people. Another tornado moved parallel to the railroad in 1927, this one a F1 tornado. A low-end F4 tornado moved through southern Alexandria in 1933, worsening the area's already crippled economy as it killed 40 factory workers. A F2 tornado impacted the area in 1935, and a F0 also impacted the town in 1937. A F3 tornado impacted just southeast of Alexandria in 1939, and a F2 tornado swept away a farmhouse between Alexandria and Summitville in 1943. Between 1943 and 1956, the city saw a drought of tornadoes, with only a F0 tornado touching down in 1950. However this all changed in 1956 when the strongest tornado to strike Alexandria to date occurred, a high-end F5 tornado. The city was absolutely devastated by this F5 tornado, with widespread F5 damage being documented in the city limits. After the 1956 tornado, the rail line closed in Alexandria, originally for repairs, however with the decline of rail usage, it was announced the line would not be reopening in early 1957. This started a gradual decline in Madison County's economy, with nearby Summitville not starting to see a recovery until the late 2010's. A F3 tornado hit Alexandria in 1959, followed up by a F0 tornado in 1962, and a F2 tornado in 1965. Another tornado, this one a F4, impacted Alexandria in 1974, tornado activity began to decline after 1974 in the state of Indiana, with Alexandria being hit by a F1 in 1984, and a F3 on the evening of Halloween of 1991, which killed 15 people. A F3 tornado narrowly missed Alexandria in 2002, and a F1 tornado hit Alexandria in 2004. In 2007, a EF4 tornado came within 10 miles of Alexandria, and Alexandria was hit by a EF3 in 2008. A EF1 tornado struck Alexandria in 2009, and another EF3 tornado struck Alexandria in 2019. No tornadoes have been confirmed in Alexandria since.Category:Tornadoes